Moto X gets (slightly) wider rollout and price hike

Motorola’s Moto X smartphone is being made available outside the US, with the device set to launch in France, Germany and the UK on 1 February – but the low price has not survived the trip across the Atlantic.

While Motorola currently shows the price of Moto X unlocked as $399, the company has just swapped the dollar sign for a euro one in the international release – and €399 works out at more than $500 at current rates.

In the UK, retailer Phones4U is offering it for an even more costly £389.95 SIM-free ($640), with a “free wireless speaker” worth £120.

Although Moto X has been largely well received, at this price point it does not compare especially well with rival mid-tier devices from a range of vendors, and makes the LG Electronics-made Nexus 5 at £299 look like a bargain.